PCToday

Pennsylvania College of Technology held three ceremonies May 13-14 for the nearly 750 students who petitioned to graduate at the end of the Spring 2022 semester – the last of 135 commencement exercises to be held under President Davie Jane Gilmour. “My life is better for all of the students I’ve dealt with, interacted with, shook hands with for the last 24 years,” said the president, who is retiring June 30. “I am so proud of you and what you’ve done, and I want you to remember one thing: If you make yourself proud every day, then we will be Penn College Proud. And no matter where you go or what you do, you will always have a home at Penn College.” Bittersweet and joyful, nostalgic and raucous (with cowbells, air horns and confetti cannons), it truly offered moments to cherish, and not just for the 20,000th graduate to cross the stage and receive one-on-one congratulations.

Read more

Pennsylvania College of Technology has presented student achievement awards to its Spring 2022 graduates. 

Nearly 750 students petitioned to graduate at the conclusion of the spring semester, and three commencement ceremonies were held May 13-14 at the Community Arts Center. Penn College is a special mission affiliate of The Pennsylvania State University. 

Read more

Pennsylvania College of Technology has presented a Distinguished Alumni Award to Larry A. Ward, a retired business owner whose philanthropic efforts helped the college undertake a complete renovation of its expansive machining lab.

The alumni honor was presented to Ward at a Spring 2022 Commencement ceremony at the Community Arts Center.

Read more

A building construction technology student is Pennsylvania College of Technology’s first graduate in its alliance with The Brook J. Lenfest Foundation Inc., which funded a $1.8 million scholarship program for underserved populations from the commonwealth’s southwestern neighborhoods. The distinction belongs to Isaiah S. Robinson, of Philadelphia, who received his associate degree during commencement exercises on May 14 and will begin working in the field the following week.

Read more

It was meant to be the somewhat routine continuation of a 25-year campus ritual, President Davie Jane Gilmour’s proud presentation of Penn College Awards to kick off the commencement weekend that hectically (yet happily) ends the spring semester.

The awards were first distributed in 1997 to recognize graduating students who have made outstanding contributions to Pennsylvania College of Technology through their involvement in campus life, the leadership positions that they have held and the service that they have provided to the college community.

But the opening remarks from Elliott Strickland Jr., vice president for student affairs – who billed this season’s event as “an evening of astonishing stories” – held a curveball that would both respect and redefine that enduring tradition.

Read more

In addition to receiving baccalaureate degrees this weekend, seven Army ROTC cadets at Pennsylvania College of Technology were commissioned as second lieutenants and assigned their Army component and branch.

Upon commissioning, the cadets committed to four years of active duty or eight years in the Army Reserve or National Guard.

Read more

As baseball equipment is being put away after a season that included a third-place finish in the United East Conference last week, Pennsylvania College of Technology archers are set to step into action later this week at the USA Archery Collegiate Target Nationals at the Easton Archery Center of Excellence in Chula Vista, California.

Read more

As part of the spring semester wind-down, Penn College employees gathered near the Field House for catered lunch and camaraderie. Thursday’s picnic – the first since before the pandemic – brought together staff and faculty from across campus to relax in the outdoors before the weekend’s commencement activities.

Read more

United States flags are at half-staff until sunset Monday to mark a tragic milestone: 1 million American lives lost to COVID-19. “One million empty chairs around the dinner table. Each an irreplaceable loss. Each leaving behind a family, a community and a nation forever changed because of this pandemic,” President Biden said in ordering the tribute. “As a nation, we must not grow numb to such sorrow. To heal, we must remember. We must remain vigilant against this pandemic and do everything we can to save as many lives as possible.”

In the final all-college address before her June 30 retirement, Pennsylvania College of Technology President Davie Jane Gilmour found the difficult words to sum up 44 years on campus – the last two-dozen as its leader.

“I have made mistakes, but – together – we have accomplished a great deal through extraordinary times – not just recent months, but in 24 years of change and adaptation, feast and famine,” she said, during an emotional mix of candid self-assessment and genuine gratitude. “We have always worked hard, kept students in sharp focus and moved this venture forward – and in the process, we have transformed lives. If I had but one small piece of that, then my career has been fulfilled.”

She was followed to the lectern by her imminent successor, Michael J. Reed, who put into perspective Gilmour’s “extraordinary” tenure as Penn College president: “If someone had visited this campus in May 1998, when you became president, and did not return until today, they would be utterly astounded by the transformation.”

Their remarks were preceded by recognition of faculty and staff with a series of end-of-semester honors – including the surprise inauguration of an award with a provenance steeped in campus lore.

Read more

With the end of another academic year at hand, Pennsylvania College of Technology renewed a spring custom: presenting awards to noteworthy faculty and staff, and acknowledging retirements and other employee milestones.

President Davie Jane Gilmour acknowledged the honorees during an expansive all-college meeting, held May 12 in the Klump Academic Center Auditorium and livestreamed.

Read more

Assorted explorations in the science of brewing were eagerly appraised by industry experts last week in Pennsylvania College of Technology’s brewing & fermentation lab.

Ten students graduating with certificates in brewing & fermentation science presented their capstone projects in two evening sessions attended by 15 brewing professionals – four of whom are alumni.

Brews presented were: Irish red ale, saison, green tea hazy IPA, sorghum ale, German hefeweizen, Belgian pale ale, fruited sour and gruit.

Read more

The Community Arts Center annually hosts an Educational Series for school-aged children from Lycoming and Sullivan counties, four morning performances that give them the opportunity to see a professional stage show at no cost. Performances weren’t offered during 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions, but the 220 W. Fourth St. showpiece – a wholly owned subsidiary of Pennsylvania College of Technology – is again entertaining and illuminating young visitors, some of whom have never experienced live theater.

Read more

A group of Pennsylvania College of Technology students took second-place honors for their research poster during the first Geisinger Nursing Student Scholarship Conference. The conference was initiated by faculty to help nursing students share their research.

Students Jenay Brown, of Williamsport; Connor J. Burke, of St. Clair; Emily L. Durbin, of Danville; Sydney E. Heiser, of Shamokin Dam; and Callie A. Sobolewski, of Budd Lake, N.J., were honored for their “Become a Master of Central Line Care” poster.

Read more

Pennsylvania College of Technology will hold three commencement ceremonies May 13-14 for the nearly 750 students who have petitioned to graduate following the Spring 2022 semester.

On Friday, May 13, at 3 p.m., a ceremony will be held for students from the School of Business, Arts & Sciences and the School of Nursing & Health Sciences.

On Saturday May 14, at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., ceremonies will be held for students from the School of Engineering Technologies, the college’s largest academic school.

A total of nearly 640 students will march at the three ceremonies, all of which are ticketed events that will be held at the Community Arts Center.

Read more